Funko acquires A Large Evil Corporation

The US toy company has acquired the UK studio--now Funko Animation Studios--with which it previously worked on a series of Marvel shorts (pictured).

Pop culture toy company Funko has acquired UK-based animation company A Large Evil Corporation, which will now operate under the name Funko Animation Studios.

Bath, England-based A Large Evil Corp. was founded in 2006 by Guy Thomson and Seth Watkins, both of whom will stay on as GMs at Funko Animation Studios. Funko and A Large Evil Corp. have worked together on short animated videos since 2014, the biggest project being a series of Marvel shorts featuring the toymaker’s bestselling Pop! vinyl figurines.

Spellbound (pictured), the first of those 90-second shorts featuring Iron Man, Spider-Man and Loki, has garnered more than 1.1 million views. A second season comprised of five additional shorts aired late this year.

Following the acquisition, Funko plans to ramp up its production of original video content. The company has moved its vinyl figurines beyond specialty stores to mass-market retailers like Walmart and Toys “R” Us, and recently opened a 90,000-square-foot office space that also houses a flagship store and pop-culture events in Everett, Washington. Its other product lines include action figures, Dorbz, plush, apparel, mystery vinyl and home accessories.